I'm not sure where that many people have accused the players of lack of effort ? The odd one maybe. Besides which effort isn't just physical it's mental and it's the mental aspect in particular where I think a large number of our players including some of our 'stars' fall down badly. It's why we're so inconsistent and have been for a number of years. Last night we played the bottom of the league and were, by the 80th minute, beaten all ends up in the pack, halves and three quarters. Mental preparation doesn't start ten minutes before the game starts it starts when the previous game finishes and I'm not sure just how well prepared some of our players were to play that game last night.

In any case when our coach is visibly angry and calls the performance "an embarrassment", "the worst performance I've seen at pro level for a long time", "unacceptable" etc and that the staff had tried to avert problems caused by a perceived poor attitude during the week's preparation, then it would seem inevitable to me that fans' reaction would be along those lines also. Or do you think Gentle needs to give his head a bang as well ?

I can honestly state that my head does not need seeing to. Last nights performance was woeful at best. If that was a team giving it 100% effort then god help us. Professional pride alone would make me work as hard as possible to avoid being walloped by the lowest ranked team in the competition. Add to that the chance of a top 4 finish and the chance however slim of some glory. It was simply totally unacceptable last night. Ok lose giving it all against a better team. I can accept, but last night was shocking.

I dont think last night was acceptable, it was shocking. It was one of those nights though were normally reliable players made the most basic errors. I've seen comments about Horne being rubbish, Briscoe the same, Manu and Turner not interested etc.

As for Gentle I think there are more questions than answers right now but he seems to be imune from any sort of criticism.

Spot on mate. Seems to me that having won two difficult games in a row and in the process secured a playoff spot, a number of our squad decided they could take it easy against the bottom side in SL. If you go into a game with that attitude then you can't just switch on when things go pear-shaped. Gentle and the coaching staff clearly saw danger signs in training and tried to address it. Seems only some of the players listened.

I don't think Gentle is immune from criticism whatsoever. People are giving him time to turn the club around. There have been signs early in the season that we have attacked better and defended better than previous years but it's not yet cemented as the 'normal' way FC play and likely wont be until the squad overhaul is well underway. If it isn't better this time next season then fans, but more importantly the owner, will no doubt be asking questions. By your own argument it would be very difficult to criticise Gentle last night when normally reliable players make so many basic errors. I doubt they're coached to do that so the responsibility for defeat rests 100% firmly with the majority of the players and their unprofessional attitude IMO. Which is what a lot of fans are saying.

He isn't immune to any sort of criticism. He's being given credit for the difficult circumstances he's having to deal with this season. I don't think he's got every little detail spot on - I'd have had Horne playing FB a lot earlier last night for instance - but he's getting the big things correct IMO.

I think he's a good coach. What he isn't is a miracle worker.

Exactly. What is more you can tend to predict which players will 'listen' or more likely which ones are professional enough to not even need telling. Certainly our best forward performers were Lynch, Heremaia and O Meley who are all top professionals who have played at the top of the game. There's a reason why they've played at that level and much of it is down to attitude. Our attitude was best summed up not by the farcical amount of dropped ball on show but by our poor line speed and lack of aggression in collision. That's all about attitude and it stunk pretty much from kick off.

Agree again. Although to his credit Gentle did include himself and the coaching staff in the criticism he gave last night.

The most worrying thing would seem that although a poor attitude was identified by the coaching staff during the weeks training no one was able to address the problems in time for the match.

See above.

poor attitude stems from a lack of competition for places, and players minds focused elsewhere.

Lack of competition for places, are from too many injured personnel and youngsters not capable of playing SL.

Until AP invests in Sports science, nothing will change.

Regarding Gentle, I feel he has improved our defense tenfold,( however some players as he has alluded to are "uncoachable"icon_wink.gifour attack still needs a lot of work.

Until Gentle's players are suitably equipped to play at a higher level (Conditioning & sports science) then questioning his ability can come into play - IMHO

Are you on drugs?

Are you seriously suggesting that a professional sportsman should tell his boss he will NOT play when asked? He would be hounded out by the fans if they got wind of a player who refused to play.

To even suggest he is rubbish, after one very poor performance last night, is more blinkered than those you were responding to.

Awful defensively? To me that comment suggest you don't attend games.

Prior to last night, the main deficiency in his game at full back was his positioning when defending near his own try line.

Your post just screams of being a typical knee jerk reaction o a poor performance.

We dont have enough what I would call winners in the team, that is the problem.

We have alot of talented players, but its easy to look good when things are going well. We dont have enough of those ultra competetive guys who will run through a wall for their team and drag them into a game.

Theres only so much a coach can do and say to his players. When they take to the field it is up to the on field leaders to get results. Unfortunately, we dont really have one.

The main issue Hull have had for the last 5 years is we do not have a creative half back. Having a potent back line is virtually pointless if the halves are not creating the gaps for them to go through. This is why signing a Chase like player would transform our team.

poor attitude stems from a lack of competition for places, and players minds focused elsewhere.

Lack of competition for places, are from too many injured personnel and youngsters not capable of playing SL.

Until AP invests in Sports science, nothing will change.

Regarding Gentle, I feel he has improved our defense tenfold,( however some players as he has alluded to are "uncoachable"icon_wink.gifour attack still needs a lot of work.

Until Gentle's players are suitably equipped to play at a higher level (Conditioning & sports science) then questioning his ability can come into play - IMHO

I'd invest in a handling coach aswell .The handling skills at the club have been unacceptable for years .

I meant he should be played in positions he cannot handle (the coach's decision not the player).

I've attended many games thanks I'd wager that over the last 5 years probably more than you!!

IMO Tom is vastly overrated. He is not world class, he's just a very good winger.

He's always been poor under the high ball, he is poor defensively both with positioning and tackling. He's not actually THAT fast.

That said he is freakishly strong and shows some individual brilliance and skill.

Clearly has talent and potential but he has many things to work on before he's anywhere near world class.

You only need to go back to last week when he held up the Catalans winger over the line preventing a try, that was superb defence.

I'm embarrassed with some of the knee jerk reactions on here to a loss sometimes.

ONE, TWO if you count the one on Fox. I wouldn't struggle to find you an error he's made which has led to conceding a try. And that's not counting last night!!

The most fickle set of fans in world sport.

Wrong board, old chap.

I agree, the players definitely need some 'back to basics' sessions in the off season

Re signed Ben yet?

I'm not blaming Gentle btw just saying that he is in charge of these performances so has to take credit/criticism just like the players do. I take your point on squad overhaul but there were only four players who are leaving us next year in that 17, that's not that many. Also if the players attitude is wrong isnt it up to the coach to spot that and ensure it's put right or they are not picked.

For me it was the sort of display that happens once a season and even normally reliable players made basic errors. I don't think they need driving off and dumping somewhere becuase of one game.

Would be nice to have that option, but at the moment we don't have enough players available.